Chicago Bulls: NBA Lockout Causes Preseason Cancellation

NBA training camps were supposed to start on Monday. However, due to the lockout some things have changed.

The league announced on Tuesday that the remaining preseason schedule has been canceled. This was a follow up to the announcement two weeks ago that the first two weeks of the preseason had been canceled. NBA commissioner David Stern said during his press conference on Tuesday if an agreement wasn’t made by Monday, then he would have to go ahead and cancel the first two weeks of the regular season.

In case you didn’t know, the NBA season is in real jeopardy.

The Bulls are being very straight forward with their season tickets holders in an email, laying out a schedule for when they can expect refunds or credits to their account. By Nov. 10 season ticket holders will receive a refund or credit for the canceled preseason games. If any games in November are canceled, then the refund or credit will be issued by Dec. 10. All refunds come with one percent interest.

So far for the Bulls, the lockout has meant the cancellation of four home preseason games. If the first two weeks get canceled, they are looking at losing four home games in what is already a road-heavy beginning of the season.

In total, the Bulls only have five home games during November, and if a deal would be reached those games would most likely not be made up. Fans would lose the chance to see the Thunder, Kings, Clippers and Hawks with the fifth and final home game against the Spurs on Nov. 30.

The only benefit of the opening month of the season being canceled would be that the Bulls get to avoid the “circus” road trip they have to take every year when the circus comes to town. This year it is especially long with eight games against the Wizards, Bucks, Pacers, Nuggets, Suns, Trail Blazers, Clippers and Jazz.

Hopefully the two sides can come to a settlement quickly and before the deadline on Monday so the entire season can be saved. But if you were the Bulls, maybe you’d be happy to lose that first month.